The Exodus of Israel
By Allan E. McNabb

We completed our study of Exodus in June. Today, both sermons will overview the book of Exodus. We’ll especially pay attention to some of the many lessons we can take from this book, to help us in our daily walk with God.

Israel in Slavery
The book of Exodus begins with Israel in slavery.  The Egyptians enslaved Israel after Joseph’s death, fearing that Israel would join forces with neighboring nations and defeat them.

Birth of Moses
Moses was born about four hundred years after Joseph’s family moved to Egypt.  At the time of his birth, Pharaoh had commanded midwives to kill all newborn Israelite boys.

Moses’ parents saved him from death, disobeying the kings command.  His mother hid him in a basket among the reeds of the Nile, three months after his birth.  Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses and adopted him, rasing him in all the splendor of Pharaoh’s house.

Moses in Midian
When Moses was forty years old, he tried to save an Israelite from an Egyptian who was beating him.  In the process, Moses killed the Egyptian.

Pharaoh heard about Moses’ actions and tried to kill him.  As a result, Moses fled to Midian where he lived another forty years, until God commanded him to return to Egypt and deliver the Israelites from bondage.

While in Midian, Moses worked for Jethro, a priest of God.  Moses married Zipporah, one of Jethro’s daughters, and fathered two children.

The Burning Bush
One day, while pasturing Jethro’s flock, Moses saw a burning bush.  God spoke to Moses from the bush, commanding him to return to Egypt and speak to Pharaoh.

Moses’ message to Pharaoh, from God, was to let His people go.

The Ten Plagues
Moses goes to Egypt, helped by Aaron, and tells Pharaoh to let God’s people go into the wilderness to worship.  Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to let them go and worship.

To compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt: water to blood, frogs, lice, flies, death of cattle, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, death of the first born.

Preparing for the last plague, death of the first born, God instituted the Passover.  Israelites took a lamb and put some of the blood on their doorposts.  When God saw the blood, He passed over that house and the firstborn lived.

After the death of Pharaoh’s firstborn son, Pharaoh let the Israelites depart from Egypt.  But he soon hardened his heart again, and sought to bring them back into slavery in Egypt.

Crossing the Red Sea
The Egyptians pursed the Israelites to the Red Sea.  It seemed like the Israelites were trapped, and that Egypt would easily enslave them again.  But God parted the Red Sea and millions of Israelites crossed the sea on dry land.  After the Israelites were safe on the other side, God confused the Egyptians as they entered the dry seabed, and destroyed the army by making the sea return to its normal state.

The Song of Moses
After God saved Israel from bondage in Egypt, Moses and the Israelites sang a song to God, praising Him for delivering them from Egypt.

In heaven, we’ll sing the song of Moses, a song of praise to God for saving us from sin, and for eternal life in heaven (Rev. 15:2-4).

Amalekites Attack Israel
The Amalekites attack Israel from the rear while they are in Rephidim, unprovoked by anything Israel had done, probably taking advantage of the weakest of God’s people.

As a result of the Amalekites’ sin, God granted Israel victory over them that day.  And eventually, he ordered Saul to utterly destroy them, annihilating the entire nation.

The Ten Commandments
Israel traveled from Rephidim to Sinai, where God gave them the Ten Commandments, which are part of the Mosaic Law.

Today, we are not under the Ten Commandments or any part of the Mosaic Law.  God changed the law (Heb. 7:12).  We live under the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2).

The Golden Calf
Moses was on Mount Sinai forty days while receiving the Ten Commandments.  While he was gone, Israel made a golden calf and worshiped it.  Then, they tried to worship God using the calf.

God was angry with Israel for their sin and planned to destroy the nation.  But Moses prayed for them and God relented.  Then, when Moses came down from the mountain and saw the people’s idolatry, he burned the calf, ground it up, spread it over the surface of the water, and made them drink it.

Message of the Exodus
God always accomplishes His plan, no matter what man may do.  Our job is to worship and serve God, knowing He’ll be glorified in all He does, and knowing we’ll be glorified as His people.